


Beneath The Blood Moon

by itsmyregularcat



Category: Cats - Andrew Lloyd Webber
Genre: Cats but with absolutely none of the characters anyone cares about, Freya is an OC I borrowed from @whitecatofdoom on Tumblr, Gen, I do not know how to tag this - Freeform, Protector Electra, and i want that prize, brief mention of Misto / Tugger / Jemima / Jelly / Jenny / Cass / Griz / Demeter, emotional attachment to an ensemble character and making a dark character arc?, i do not want to spoil it, i guess this could put me in the running for resident Electra stan in the fandom, i have no idea what i am doing, i wrote this in two days and i have never written fanfic before, more likely than i would have thought two days ago, they are not important to the story so not really involved, this is what happens when you give me time off for the first time in six months, your boy joined a fandom for the first time in his life about a year ago and look at him now
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-10
Updated: 2021-03-10
Packaged: 2021-03-16 20:02:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,211
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29955180
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/itsmyregularcat/pseuds/itsmyregularcat
Summary: The story of how Electra becomes a protector amongst the Jellicles.Electra had come to the Jellicles as a stray, welcomed in to their community. A small and fierce ginger kitten, she has always relished in her life, but felt like an outsider.The evening is still and quiet, basking in the light of a sanguine moon. The red glow is beautiful, but is it an omen?
Comments: 4
Kudos: 6





	1. My Regret Will Burn Bright

**Author's Note:**

> I cranked this out over the past two days. This is what happens when you give me, a frontline healthcare worker, time off for the first time in six months.
> 
> This is the first fanfic I have ever written, and probably last one I will ever write. Two days ago I would have told you that you were insane to suggest I would write a 7200 word story, but here we are.
> 
> This whole thing started off innocently enough. I received a few asks on Tumblr about headcanons, and I indulged myself in speaking about one of my favourite characters, Electra. This is the result of that.
> 
> Thanks for reading.  
> Lorenzo  
> @itsmyregularcat on Tumblr
> 
> Recommended listening to go with Beneath The Blood Moon:  
> Lingua Ignota - Caligula (https://linguaignota.bandcamp.com/album/caligula)  
> Lingua Ignota - All Bitches Die (https://linguaignota.bandcamp.com/album/all-bitches-die-2)  
> Primitive Man - Caustic (https://primitivemandoom.bandcamp.com/album/caustic)  
> Usnea - Portals Into Futility (https://usneadoom.bandcamp.com/album/portals-into-futility)  
> SRSQ - Unreality (https://srsq.bandcamp.com/album/unreality)  
> Ulcerate - Stare Into Death And Be Still (https://ulcerate.bandcamp.com/album/stare-into-death-and-be-still)  
> Bell Witch - Four Phantoms (https://bellwitch.bandcamp.com/album/four-phantoms)

The moon hung in sky over the quiet edge of a field, glowing brightly with a reddish tone. Underneath the evening sky, walks a young queen, solemnly reflecting to herself about the day’s events. Electra had never really noticed a moon with such an appearance, and turns to quietly gaze skyward, basking in the sanguine light. It makes her feel at peace, and she immerses herself in the strange red silence. She muses, _“Perhaps the Jellicle Moon shining red, like me, is a sign of good luck? I could call it Leccie’s Moon.”._ Staring at the all the stars, the thought of having possession anything as important as the moon makes her laugh quietly at her own exaggerated thoughts.

Slowly closing her eyes in the stillness, she sat for a moment on a flat rock nestled in a patch of tall grass, amongst wildflowers and felled trees. It was not necessarily unusual for Electra to travel to this spot in the further reaches of the junkyard to be alone. She had always found she was drawn to the amble reservation, away from the bustle of her friends and family in the core of the junkyard. Electra welcomed the low hum of the surrounding city against the expanse of whatever bit of nature she could find. She had come to the Jellicles as a young kitten, and had a vague memory of her first years with her newfound adoptive family. Treated as one of them, she felt at home amongst a patchwork of personalities, but the thought never left her that she was a simply a welcomed outsider.

Amidst her immersive reverie, a familiar voice loudly interrupted her thoughts.

“I knew I could find you here, scoot over!”.

Electra expectantly opened her right eye to find a fluffy white and golden queen, about as old as she was standing closely, face to face with her.

“Why must you always disrupt my ‘me time’, Cettie? Do you honestly have nothing better to do?” Electra purred quietly, sounding less annoyed than she was.

Etcetera continued to stare at her with wide eyes, completely ignoring the slight aggravation of her friend. The truth was, Electra found the kitten’s happiness and positivity quite endearing, as it always balanced out her own slightly negatively held emotions. Etcetera and her were sister-like in their bond, and had always been as long as either of them could recall.

“Fine, you win Cettie”, Electra moved over, allowing her friend to settle in beside her.

“Wow! The moon is red like you Leccie! Look at it!” beamed Etcetera pointing at the sky, talking as if Electra had not noticed the obvious.

Electra hummed softly, acknowledging the observation, hoping they could enjoy this moment without much discussion. The two kittens sat, both regarding the beauty around them that was unlike anything they had seen before. With only a light breeze rustling the surrounding area, there was comfort in being together. After some time, both queens silently agreed that it was time to return to their home, getting up and stretching in unison before starting to make their way back down the familiar path leading closer to the immediate outside of the junkyard.

Electra walked with light steps towards their destination, unlike Etcetera who enthusiastically skipped and bounded as she hummed to herself beside the Tortie queen. Abruptly, a call rang out, piercing through the quietness with startling clarity. To an outsider, it would be a sound of utter beauty, crystalline in soaring tone, as if a feline angel had come to sing to those on Earth. However, Electra and Etcetera took the call as the warning it was. Freya, a lookout for the tribe, used her voice to signal the threat of danger, whether it be human or otherwise. Since their time as kittens, both Electra and Etcetera were told to heed Freya’s call, and quickly return to the safety and protection of the junkyard and its older cats. Both queens hurried their movements in anticipation of the palpable unease of whatever peril was around.

Suddenly, both kits were knocked off their path by something larger than them. Electra regains herself, with Etcetera not far from her, and locks eyes with an unfamiliar larger, straggly black and red cat standing a few feet away. There was an aura around him, a wickedness precipitated by the way he appeared beneath the blood moon, almost as if he was the incarnate of evil itself. He moves with jerky movements, snarling as he paces around both queens.

“Tonight, you both get the opportunity to feel what it is like to be betrayed”, he hissed.

Electra had no idea what he was alluring to, staring with confusion at her attacker, she is unable to move due to her fear.

“Your mother thinks she can help take my daughter away from me. Well, I shall do the same to her then” he spat, with anger in his voice.

Electra was frozen, _“What is he talking about. I do not even know who my mother is!_ ” she thought, rushing to figure out what was happening.

Moving closer to the ginger kitten, he raises his paw as if to strike, not before it is batted away by a flash of golden fur. Before her, Etcetera stood, puffed out in a protective stance, countering the advance of the hostile stranger. Hissing aggressively, Electra had never seen her best friend in such away, and it made the gravity of the events sink in a nauseating way. How long had it been since the signal? Should a protector not have found them by now? It had felt like ages, but was only a matter of minutes, if that.

“Leave us alone! My dad will be coming any second” exclaimed Etcetera, holding her ground and trying to sound tougher than she was.

“I have already seen Munkustrap, and I promise he is busy at the moment.” The bigger tom snickered as he easily swatted the kitten away, again moving closer to Electra. Claws out, he raised his arm again, unfazed by Etcetera’s words, before growling “I was going to be courteous, but if this is the kind of reception I get, I will drop the niceties”.

He swipes at Electra, catching edges of her fur in his paws. Electra hisses, with her own claws readied, now joining the effort to scare away the intruder started by her friend. She leaps at him, scratching at his face and neck, wherever she could reach in her fury. The tom knocks her away, before again swiping at her, this time opening a gash down across her chest. He continues his attack, albeit he seems to do so with restraint. “ _Was he trying to kill her or kidnap her?_ ”, Electra thought quickly. Before being able to consider what the end goal could be, Etcetera had jumped at him once more in Electra’s defence. In a quick move by the larger tom, she is cut down with a forceful hit. She yelps in pain as she crumples to the ground, bleeding out against the grass. The tom’s demeanor changes swiftly, peering down at the helpless kitten, he starts to back away slowly. Electra swears she could faintly see a flicker of regret in his eyes, as if he knew he had gone too far. Despite her injuries, Electra attacks again, trying to defend them both. The attacker seemingly disappears into thin air during her barrage. She looks done at her paws, which show the blood of her valiant attempts.

As quickly as it began, her and Etcetera are returned to the stillness of the garden path. Electra circles the clearing they are in, prepared to engage and fight before being broken out of her focus by the cries of her friend. She goes to Etcetera, cuddling beside her, attempting to sooth her pain. Ignoring her own wounds bleeding against her red fur, Electra muffles the pained mews from Etcetera, hoping to divert attention from any other threat.

“I am so cold. It hurts so much. I am scared Leccie” strains the fluffy kitten, before crying sadly, “I am unprepared to die.”

Those words chill Electra, who had never heard such words of sorrow come from the proverbial sunshine-in-cat-form that was her friend. Unsure of what to do, she begins to sing softly to Etcetera in an attempt to distract her from the situation, in the same way Etcetera would always sing to her when she was frazzled. Electra chooses Etcetera’s favourite song, the same one Jemima sang at the ball earlier in the year. She had always enjoyed that it spoke about flowers, one of her favourite things because of their beauty. A bit disjointed at first, Electra gently sings between tears:

_“Daylight,_

_See the dew on a sunflower._

_And a rose that is fading,_

_Roses wither away._

_Like the sunflower,_

_I yearn to turn my face to the dawn._

_I am waiting,_

_For the day.”_

The singing comforts Etcetera, who hums along feebly to her friend’s voice. The two queenkits lay with one another, embraced in a small circle, two hearts beating softly amongst the weight of pain. Too weak to move, Electra breathes slowly, before turning to hold the golden kitten in her arms. Cuddled up closely, she can feel Etcetera fading with every passing moment.

Just a she can feel her friend’s life diminish, a bright light shines out of the darkness, blinding in its illumination and deafening in its thundering sound.

“Do you see them, Leccie?” says Etcetera faintly, her voice sounding full of fear, but also wonder.

Electra, squinting against the light, asks in confusion “See who Cettie? I am the only one here.”

“Its Tanto and Cori. Why are they are joined in the same body? Why do they have a head with three eyes? Is this what aunt Grizabella saw when she went to the Heaviside Layer? It is so bright, but it feels so safe. They are guiding me Leccie. They are telling me not to be afraid. Taking me to a world of flowers and sunlight. I think…” she trails off before starting again “I think, I need to go.”

“No!” cries Electra, pulling Etcetera closer into her chest. “Stay here, you are fine! I will not let you die here. You have to see uncle Tugger again. And uncle Misto! Aunt Jelly can heal you! What I am I supposed to say to uncle Munk? What do I tell them?” she screams into the silence that surrounds them.

“Tell them I love them, and that I will see them in the Heaviside Layer. I will stay and wait on the other side” whispered Etcetera, before her last breath escapes her.

In a split moment, the celestial light that had surrounded them vanishes. Electra holds the body of her friend close, weeping uncontrollably. Was that it? The frailty of life so easily exploited? Had she failed to protect who was the most important cat in her life? Eventually regaining her strength, but still bloodied, Electra begins to drag the body of Etcetera back to the entrance of the junkyard in search of help, before collapsing against the fur of her friend. Crumpled, she is carried off in a flurry of activity and attended to, but not before she sees the looks of pain on the faces of the Jellicles. The sight of Etcetera laying motionless at his feet causes the usually calm and unshakable Munkustrap, protector of everyone in the tribe, to break down. He kneels before his daughter, lifting her tiny body into his arms. Crying softly, his pained expression paints stories, as if he knows who has caused this strife.

“This is it. He has gone too far this time. Killing anyone, let alone a defenceless kitten, is unforgiveable.” Munk whimpers between sobs before saying flatly, “He will pay for this”.

Above him, Bombalurina and Demeter both stand with a hand on his shoulder, staying silent, but crying alongside him. Electra had never seen those older cats as close as they were in that moment, almost sharing a silent understanding.

The rest of the night goes by in a blur. Electra’s wounds are seen by Jellylorum, and she is carefully watched by the certain members of tribe to ensure she will survive. The concern on their faces twists at her insides. Was it blame in their eyes? Sympathy?

All the Jellicles help to dig the grave, and Etcetera is buried in the sunniest spot of the yard, in a bed of flowers close to the edge that she always adored. Cettie would compare the colour of the flowers to all the queens in the junkyard, always certain they could never capture the real-life beauty they had.

Electra watches from afar, unable to bring herself to see the final moments.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To avert confusion, Freya is an OC I borrowed from @whitecatofdoom on Tumblr.


	2. Though Time May Separate Us

The next day comes and goes, then weeks, then months. Electra regresses into herself, cutting off much of her social life and isolating herself from the tribe in grief. She was the embodiment of dark skies, relegated to live without their warming sun. How many times has she been told it was not her fault Cettie was killed? Too many times she thought. Every time they looked at her, Electra could see the reminders of their anguish at the back of their eyes. They see her as the last link to the life of Etcetera.

In her sorrow, she chooses to leave the junkyard to avoid being the ‘reminder’. She came with no family, and she may as well leave with no family. In her time alone, Electra learns to survives on her own, forging her hunting skills in the process. She grows into a serious queen, encumbered with trauma and survivor’s guilt. If she had been stronger, perhaps she could have prevented all of this? The moments that night stay with her as a vivid reminder, haunting every day of life.

Some days, she feels as if it is time to come back, to return to her family that gave her everything they had. When she does stray towards to her former home, Electra stays close to Etcetera’s grave around the perimeter of the junkyard. She always hesitates to venture further, fearing the Jellicles will not be as kind now given she is not a kitten anymore. In her exhaustion, she is often found sleeping nearby while patrolling cats do their search late at night, but they never disturb her, aware of her familiar scent even after this time.

Sitting in the early morning sun, one day Electra thinks to herself while quietly watching the grave, still taken care of and free of weeds, “ _She was right, no matter how beautiful these flowers are, or how bright the sun shines, nothing could ever be as delightful as the happiness that was always bursting out her.”._ Instinctually, almost as if pulled by a divine force, Electra turns toward the junkyard, and slowly makes her was back into the familiar piles of boxes, broken down vehicles, tires, and pipes. Not much has changed in the time she has been gone, the feeling of community is still there. How long has it been? Months? Years? She did not know, every new day seemed to bleed into the other.

“You know, she would have loved to see you grown up like that. To be the queen she would no doubt idolize. She spoke of you as if you were the most important cat she knew, even more important than her father” speaks a familiar voice.

Electra turns to gaze at Tantomile, perched behind her. The queen still looks exactly the same as the day she met her as a little kitten, and the same as she did when Electra made the decision to leave some time ago. How was it she never aged? Memories flood back of their days together. Electra and Tantomile were unlikely friends when Electra was younger. Their mutual desire for quiet contemplation drew Electra to the peaceful queen, yet their friendship was never overly serious, as they brought out the foolishness in one another. Reminiscences hold an empty place, but Electra still desires to be carefree once more.

“I miss her Tanto. Her smile. Her constant screaming about the most mundane things. The way everything seemed to shine around her. That happiness.” Electra said solemnly. “I have not spoken about her in so long, I am not sure I could even bring myself to say her name. The pain is too deep”. Electra runs her paw over the scars that formed across her chest, masked by her coat.

Tantomile jumped off of her perch, standing beside the Tortie queen. Her eyes are at the same level of Electra’s for the first time. Had Tanto’s eyes always glowed like that? It was unnerving how she seemed to stare directly into your soul, searching for every thought.

“I was anticipating your return for some time. The push and pull of existence always lends itself to repeat familiar actions. A stone thrown in the water will one day wash ashore again. Does the stone stay, or it is thrown back in? Sometimes life seems easier in the sun, other times the surrounding darkness acts as comfort” Tantomile spoke, as if pondering. “I have discussed it with Cori, and we think you are ready.” Tantomile stated in an assured manner, watching Electra.

“Ready for what?” Electra nervously asked, never quite meeting the penetrating stare of Tantomile.

“Ready to know the truth. To know what happened that night. Ready to see for yourself as who you truly are. Who you will be. Who you belong to.” started the Torbie queen, before leading further, “Do you accept the invitation? It is your choice. Forked paths lead to different places. Do you prefer to live with disappointment, or live with regret?”

The look in her eyes was like staring into the night sky, familiar in a way, but vast in scope, almost from a different existence.

“I am not sure I am prepared for all that” Electra said firmly, but she tossed the implications around her mind.

She could finally figure out what had happened. Even though that night hung over her everyday, she was just a kitten, and was sure her memory had hazed events into a fugue of sorts after this time.

At once unsure of herself, but still confident, Electra spoke “I need to know Tanto. I do not think I could sustain being in a world where I am not sure if I could have made a difference that night.”

“Very well, it is time to start. Come with me.”, Tantomile led Electra to her den. It was unchanged from how she remembered it, with the same smell of lingering sandalwood and faint orange hue.

They both sat quietly for a period of time. Had everything around them stilled? It was like the two queens were the only beings in the junkyard, isolated in place and time. Electra had not felt this level of calmness since the night before Etcetera was killed, that moment alone, regarding the red moon anchored above her. She would do anything to go back to that time, alone on that rock.

“Do not think your skills as a hunter have gone unnoticed, dear Electra” said a different voice.

Electra scanned the den again, she was certain that she was alone with Tantomile, but caught a glance at Coricopat. He sat opposite of Electra, directly beside Tantomile. When did he arrive? How long had he been there?

“The protectors of the tribe think it is time for you to hone your natural talent, and join them”, he said, before the twins spoke in unison, “We would like to extend the offer on their behalf”

They were not protectors, but worked closely with those who fought off danger. Their abilities to perceive were unmatched amongst the Jellicles, and they seemed to sense things before they would happen. The joke between kittens was that Tanto and Cori were psychic, more attached to a spiritual realm than they were to the physical world. Electra had always been inclined to believe it.

“Me, a protector?” tiffed Electra, more surprised than angered by the offer. “Why would they trust me to have such an important role? I could not even stop _him_ from hurting us that night”.

“You are unaware of just how suited you are to the role” inferred Tantomile, “Have you ever considered how you arrived here in the junkyard? Who your real family is?”

The question catches her off-guard. Electra had thought about it many times, but without any information, whatever she concluded was based more on fiction. She had always considered herself as an orphan, it was how she was told she came to the Jellicles. Her real family may as well not exist.

As if to read her mind, Coricopat interrupts, “You are not some orphaned stray, Electra. You are the progeny of some of the strongest cats this tribe has ever seen. They still protect us to this day”

“What are you two talking about?” hissed Electra, this time bothered by how plainly they spoke about her life, as if it were common knowledge. She twitches in place, finding her surroundings becoming uncomfortable as the conversation continues.

The twins wait for her to settle, before speaking again,

“Electra, you should know that your mother is Bombalurina” said Tantomile. “And your father is Munkustrap” said Coricopat.

Electra’s eyes narrowed with the mention of the names, her paws shaking. How was she never told? Was it to protect her? Surely what the twins were saying must be a lie to make her feel at home again. Was it a ploy to give the two older cats someone to fill in for their slain daughter? Were they in on it too? “ _They would never go for it_ ” Electra thought.

“If those are truly my parents, then Cettie must have been…” Electra abruptly trailed off. It was the first time she has uttered Etcetera’s name in a long time. It burned her tongue like fire. She could feel the tears forming in her eyes, an attempt to extinguish the burning in her mind.

“She was your sister, Electra” spoke the twins, staring through her.

The weight of the room closed in, suffocating the reddish queen as the world unravelled around her. It made sense. How Bombalurina tended to focus in on her as a kitten. Even the way she looked just like the red queen when the sun hit her just right. The times they all played together, more than Electra had considered. At the time, it never seemed unusual. Etcetera used to confess to her when they were alone that she wished Electra was actually her sister so she could have a real family. She must never have known either. Even the reaction that night, after mourning over Etcetera, they both quickly made sure Electra was safe. She had forgotten how both cats paced outside the entrance to her den that night, or how upset yet understanding they were when she decided it was better for her to leave months later.

The low voices continued, almost indistinguishable “Do you remember when Bombalurina left, and brought Demeter back with her?”

Electra was young when Demeter joined the tribe. Another wayward cat, accepted in the family, was how Electra considered her. Electra always though the two queens were sisters given how close they were. She admired Demeter, but could never appreciate why. Perhaps it was the way she had become close to Munkustrap, as if finally finding the place he was always supposed to be. Their relationship, and they way he cared for her and Jemima always struck her.

“Vaguely. I was just a kitten then” murmured Electra, her mind racing with each bombardment of information.

“She left the junkyard to risk her life. She rescued Demeter and Jemima from Macavity.” said Tantomile.

The mention of Macavity brings a chill down Electra’s spine, as if the temperature in the room suddenly dips. She had heard the name before. Was it that night?

“Macavity was the one who attacked you and Etcetera that night. He was trying to seek revenge on Bomba. You see, Jemima is his actual daughter” finished Coricopat.

It flashes before her again. That night on the path. What the tom said. _“Your mother thinks she can help take my daughter away from me. Well, I shall do the same to her then”._ She had played that sentence out in her head, but always assumed it was a mistake. Her and Etcetera were just at the wrong place. A regrettable case of mistaken identities. It made a lot more sense now.

“Why did no one every tell me? Why was I told that I came in as a stray?” inquired Electra, tears flowing. There was no point being stoic any longer.

“Your parents did it to protect you from him. It was an attempt to shield you from harm. They did not realize Macavity would find out. Most cats in this junkyard were not even privy to the information.” spoke Tantomile.

“It hurt Bomba to let you go like that. To disown you. She loved you so much as a kitten, before her departure. You were her fiery kit. Her pride was immense” added Coricopat.

“Electra, you and Etcetera fought off the most dangerous threat to this junkyard that night as kittens. Can you imagine how Munk and Bomba felt knowing their daughters were together in their fight, defending one another? When they saw the blood covering your paws, they knew you tried. It weighed a heavy toll on the both of them” Tantomile and Coricopat continued, alternating sentences.

Of course, the outcome had destroyed them. Munkustrap poured more of his energies into protecting the tribe, especially Demeter and Jemima. Bombalurina had done the same. Too wrapped in her own depression, Electra had been a bit oblivious at noticing their attempts. She begins to realize that she inadvertently abandoned those who she needed the most, and those who needed her the most.

“I will do it. I feel I have to. Not for me, but for Etcetera” Electra winces at her own mention of her sister, the name still stinging her tongue. “I need to prove to the tribe that I am not as weak as I seemed”.

The twins nod to one another, before leading Electra back out into the junkyard. The rest of tribe is out now, as if they were held in by a stoppage of time previously. The arrival of Electra is more of a presentation than a homecoming. Weariness and age are worn of the faces of the older cats, but they silently recognize the connotation of her return. The younger toms and queens look at her as if she is a long-lost stray, in the same way they young cats looked upon her during her initial arrival years prior. Until this point, they had not known if she survived on her own, but greet her in a kind manner. The is a sense of relief amongst the tribe.

Among all the cats walk a grey tom and red queen, splitting the crowd in their travel. They look older than Electra remembers, more burdened by time than the younger cats. Munkustrap stands up in front the ginger queen, and places his paws on her head, bringing her into him. She can feel his breathing, his heartbeat. It feels safe, like one’s den or home. He relaxes his hold, allowing Bombalurina to embrace her. She wraps her arms tightly around the younger queen, nearly pulling her off the ground.

“We were not sure if you would ever return, but I know now that there is no place you could ever be. You were born to be one of us” Munkustrap speaks, trying to disguise his excitement amongst the serious tone of his words.

“It is time for you to learn, Electra. Time for you to properly wield the responsibility and power that you have carried with you” the red queen smiles, before adding “Look at how beautiful you have become. Truly my daughter! My little rose!” she jokes. ‘ _My little rose’,_ Electra had not been called that in such a long time, and the new meaning behind it made her burst into tears.


	3. My Disgust Will Stay As Golden As The Sun

Training to be a protector ends up being as intensive as Electra has always imagined, but far more rewarding than she envisioned. Standing beside her parents, she finally feels the sense of belonging she has been chasing her entire life. With their guidance, Electra demonstrates how formidable she has always been. According the fellow protectors, she is incredibly well suited to the task of defending the tribe. Her speed and natural senses make her quite adept to the role. When determined, she is the fastest cat in the junkyard, a blur of reddish fur. Over time, she works at becoming more and more responsible for the safety of everyone around her. She is an absolute ghost with how quiet and efficient her attacks are, and every cat outside the tribe becomes fearful of her notoriety.

* * *

“To protect those around you, it is an understanding built out of honour and trust. You must show to those who rely on you that fear is what you make it, but they cannot be scared of you. It is a difficult balance” Munkustrap told Electra out of the blue one morning.

The two cats were sitting atop a pile of discarded newpaper, high above the ground, both watching closely the activity below. Electra had been a fully fledged protector for years, occupying a unique niche carved by other queens like Cassandra and her mother. She even came to learn that Jellylorum was quite the force in her day, before being injured and becoming a healer amongst the Jellicles.

“One of the most important lessons you will learn, Electra, is that there is no honour in killing another. Your honour is as a sacrifice in death. A sacrifice in the name of your tribe”. The words were substantial. She hummed a sound of acknowledgement, unsure as to where he was going with this. After a moment, he begins again, his tone changed “I want you to replace me as main protector, Electra. I think you have proven yourself worthy of it.” He looked down at her, expectantly, “Even Alonzo is on board with it. He would never tell you himself, but he envies your speed and agility.”

“To replace you? You are the strongest cat anyone has every met.” Electra said lowly under his gaze. No matter how much she had grown, the piercing eyes of the grey tom always broke through her. “Do you really think I would be ready?” she inquired, knowing his request was not meant passively.

“It would be the utmost honour to know that my daughter was able to continue my legacy, even when I am no longer here.” Munkustrap said, commandingly. The was surety in the way he said it, as if he had waited her whole life to reveal it. As if he sensed this day would come.

“I…, I am willing. The honour is mine” Electra stated, peering up at him. “I do this not for me, but for _her_ dad.”

The mention of Etcetera softens Munkustrap. He kneels down again, collecting himself.

“She would be so proud of you right now. You have no idea Electra.” he laments, trying to fight back tears.

“I know that”, tears welling up in her own eyes. “She is the reason I am here, dad. That night, she leapt at Macavity. That is why she was hurt. I have never seen any cat as angry as she was when trying to protect me. She gave me time to fight for myself.”

The words cut through Munkustrap, lending him a blank stare. Had Electra never mentioned this to him? Maybe he had forgotten the blood on the golden kitten’s paws, or assumed it was her own. The look in his eyes told the truth. Deep down, he knew that his cheerful kitten, who was quite unlike him, shared some similarities. He never anticipated that she ever demonstrated them.

Electra embraces the grey tom, the same way she was embraced upon her return by him. The two cats remain situated in their spot.

“I guess that makes you an old tom now, does it not” Electra blurts out after a few minutes.

“Shut up” he snaps, afraid of the inevitability of her words.

“Back in my day, we used to fight pollicles and pekes at the same time. I would hold one in each arm and biff their heads together.” Electra jokes in a mocking tone, posing like her father, feet far apart. She acts out of a dramatic pantomime, using the wrinkled newspaper to make a costume.

“You really are you mother’s daughter” he glares, rolling his eyes in aggravation.

* * *

The night sky was relatively clear, hazed with wisps of pink hued clouds obscuring the moon. Another day was coming to an end, and Electra was well into her rounding through the outer perimeter of the junkyard. Just a bit more surveying, and she would be able to return to the center of the junkyard. As was customary, she was the always the last cat to return from their patrol. Coming upon the flower bed in the corner of the yard, she stood and stared at the memorial that remained in place, even after all these years. Pristine in condition, the majority of the seasonal wildflowers were blooming a stunning red colour, interspersed with bright yellows. The garden was maintained by Jennyanydots, who dutifully ensured there with no weeds in sight.

There is a faint rustling in behind her, and Electra spins around, scanning the grass around her. Ultimately finding nothing of concern, she goes back to watching the light breeze carry the flowers in a fluid dance. She gazes up at the still night sky, admiring the beauty as she loved when she was younger. It makes her feel small in comparison to its grandeur. The moon is unobstructed now, and shines a radiant red tone. She shivers, what she once thought could represent luck had become a reminder her anguish.

“Look who has become such a powerful protector, just like their mom and dad” a ragged voice barks, scornfully.

Turning again, Electra comes face to face with him, the black and red tom from that night. _Macavity_. The encounter pulls the breath out of her and makes her fur stand up. Her eyes slit, anger building inside her. She readies her claws. How long has she been waiting for this night, but never been truly prepared to face it? How many sleepless nights were spent in her youth trying to forget his face?

“You know, I have heard that-”, Electra catches him off guard, bounding into him with her claws pressed into his shoulders. Macavity and Electra tumble into the small clearing in front of the garden, the queen ending up on top of the larger tom, looking down at his hideous appearance. She pulls her claws out, and begins swiping at his face and neck. The tom rolls, tossing her to the side as he gets up onto his feet.

“Is that the sort of welcome you give your uncle after such a time?” he hacks in disbelief, the surprise of her strength and speed clearly startling him. “So be it. I am not here for you. I have heard that my daughter has become quite the distinguished healer.” He turns to walk towards the junkyard.

He was right. Jemima had taken over for Jellylorum when it became apparent that her skills, seemingly tied to the phases of the moon, were more than the older queen could provide.

“You are not going anywhere near them” Electra hisses. “You are not welcomed here. I am giving you the chance to leave now, without any issues. If you are smart, you would take the opportunity.”

The tom turns his head, “Is that right? I was never one to back away from your father, and I am certainly not scared of some little queen pretending they are some sort of mighty terror.”

“I am warning you”, Electra snarled, standing her ground. “Leave at once”

The tom stopped in his tracks, turning and meeting her glare. He adjusted his footing, before leaping at Electra.

“I will depart when I get what I came here for”, Macavity roared, “You are not going to stop me again.”

In anticipation of his determination, Electra meets the tom midair, with the two cats falling to the ground, tangled together in fits of paws and claws. Electra deftly scratches at the tom, cutting him across his chest and legs. With restraint, she jumps off of him, again providing an opening for him to leave.

“What’s wrong? Are you scared of me still?” he said, laughing at her. “Do you need a little kitten to come to your defence again?”

“Do not speak of her again” screamed Electra in an even tone, shaking with anger. “How dare you!”

“I should have killed you when I had the chance. My plan to kidnap you failed when that annoying kitten interrupted it” he said, baiting Electra in his words, trying to illicit a reaction. It was working.

“This is your final opportunity” Electra warned. Her stance was powerful, back raised, ears slicked back, with her teeth bared for the first time that night.

“You were always such a fiery kitten, just like your mother.” he said, seemingly unbothered by Electra’s cautioning. “Who would have guessed that she would birth another one that was such a useless pile of fluff? No wonder they called you an orphan.” He moved towards Etcetera’s grave, brushing slightly past Electra.

Underneath the glow of the moon above, Electra could feel the burning rage build inside of her. Red in anger. Red in frustration. Red in determination. Red like _her_. Intercepting his advance before he got any further, she tackles him from the side, digging herself into his soft flesh. In her wrath, she carefully and carelessly inflicts countless gashes caused by her sharp claws. She wants Macavity to personally experience the pain and anguish she felt as that scared kitten, to ache like she has ached for years. Brutalizing and punishing, Electra becomes a beast worthy of her reddish coat. The pain she exerts is unlike anything she has endured physically or mentally. Looking down at the bloodied body of the tom, Electra contemplates what it would be like to finish the job, to take the life of her tormentor. She pauses for a moment, the words of Munkustrap play out in her head. ‘ _There is no honour in killing another’._ Surely, this was meant for someone less evil? Her thoughts are interrupted by the tom struggling to get up.

“Weak will is something you get from your parents. It is the cause of all your problems.” he coughs, blood pouring from his mouth. He gestures at the gravesite, “While they were too foolish to tell you about her, I think it was good of them to save you the embarrassment of having to call _that_ a sister.”

The words cut at Electra. The derision in his voice disgusts her. This disregard for what he did, the lack of empathy. _He will pay for what he just said._ She jumps on his back, pinning him down against the ground. She bites down on his neck, squeezing the life out of him. Electra can see that same panicked look of regret in his eyes as she saw that night, but she does not relent, pressing harder. Flailing beneath her, the tom is eventually stilled, with only the last rattle of his breath escaping in the now quiet night.

Without warning, a blinding light shines out of the darkness with a thundering sound, the same light that had appeared when Etcetera died. It startles Electra, and causes her to let go of the tom, dropping his head to the ground. Appearing before her is a divine creature, a cryptic amalgamation of Tantomile and Coricopat, formless and flowing.

“Wait, he does not get to go to the Heaviside Layer, does he? He cannot deserve peace in death!” Electra yells, the blood of the tom still in her teeth.

The being communicates to her without speaking, its swarm of eyes gazing down at her and the body of Macavity, “His soul is far to tainted to reach that plane” it spoke, “But it will still be left to rest in hopes of rebirth. We are the Everlasting Cat, and no matter who passes, they are given the chance at a new life. We do not control the how, only the when.”

The being reaches out, touching the body. The corpse disappears in an instant, leaving a vague scorch mark in the patch of grass it rested upon.

“You have accomplished what you sought out to do, Electra. Does retribution taste as sweet as you thought it would? Without purpose to drive you, where do you go now? You will need to figure that out for yourself” the presence calls.

“Where do I go now? I go home. To those who rely on me. Those who trust me.” says Electra, head turned to watch the junkyard as it slowly dimmed in the late hour. “Those who have given me everything they had.”

The eyes of the being close consecutively. The ground heaves for a moment, and the celestial light clears, leaving Electra alone again. She begins her journey back to the junkyard, coming to the center. Munkustrap is waiting for her, and he jumps up as he catches the scent of Macavity on the queen. The look on her face tells him everything he needs to know. The look of regret. The look of closure.

“You did the right thing Electra” he says, ensuring she does not break down in front of him. While he had never killed another cat before, he can empathize with how taxing the experience must have been.

The two protectors embrace. Young and old together. Sharing an understanding in silence.

“Thank you for this. For everything” cries Electra, shrinking into her father’s arms.

After all this time, she had finally conquered the demon that controlled her. She had proven that she was as strong enough to be considered worthy of her place amongst the Jellicles. Strong enough to be worthy of the being Etcetera’s sister.

* * *

Despite her callous actions, Electra retains the title of lead protector, going on to teach and guide young kittens and traumatised adoptees well into her life. She is relieved of her duties when another promising female kitten, not unlike her younger self demonstrates their abilities. She sees a brilliance in the kitten, a beacon of positivity and drive she had not seen since the days of her sister.

As time goes on, no one truly realizes why that beautiful bed of flowers at the back of the yard is finally allowed to become overgrown, but never really forgotten. Every morning, when the sun hits it just right, an onlooker could swear it shines in the most radiant white and gold hue.


End file.
